Episode 85.5 — Bonus Cut: Yo, Is "Yo, Is This Racist?" Racist?

[JulyDiaz 2797]

Matt Walsh, Paul Rust, and John Gemberling once again join Matt Besser as they take a look at the generalizations made in the “Stereotypes in Sitcoms” episode of Yo, Is This Racist? on this week’s bonus episode of improv4humans. Attention humans, be sure to pick up Matt Besser’s new comedy album “Woo Pig Sooie: Comedy for Atheists” at mattbesser.com and Dragoon’s new album “This Galaxy Is But A Nursery” at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com!

[Joshie 125]

.

[Podus 108]

That was great. It should be a recurring segment. Andrew To and his cronies spit mad bullshit all the time. It should be called Yo is Yo is this Racist, bullshit?

[MattCameron 595]

I am glad you took this on. I live in North Carolina and I hate it when people generalize the entire South as being racist. I have met some of the most progressive, free-thinking people here. Sure, racism is here, but it's everywhere. Just as there are good, intelligent people everywhere. I'm really tired of the self-righteous people like that guest who think that if you don't live in LA or NYC then you are a problem.

[robinsbruce 4985]

Thank you Mississippi!

 

loved that paul went back to the well for that "puss-enta" bit.

[mattman92ish 823]

I listened to yo is this racist but i stopped cause it just i dont know it hit me the wrong way from listening andrew usually thinks everything is racist and the guests he has on sometimes are ridiculous (granted im sure that most people calling the show are racist haha)..im not one of those people who hates anything on earwolf..that was actually my first sorta complaint or negative opinion..thanks for this besser i was wondering what people thought about this.. great great bonus ep

[reggaechristmas 64]

Shots fired!

[wakefresh 689]

I am glad you took this on. I live in North Carolina and I hate it when people generalize the entire South as being racist. I have met some of the most progressive, free-thinking people here. Sure, racism is here, but it's everywhere. Just as there are good, intelligent people everywhere. I'm really tired of the self-righteous people like that guest who think that if you don't live in LA or NYC then you are a problem.

 

As a life long resident of the South, I have to take issue with this. The South gets generalized as being racist because the South overwhelmingly is very racist. That's great that towns like Cary exist but they do not cancel out all of the Kernersvilles, Walkertowns, and other itty bitty backwater towns that are downright racist and homophobic. Where were all of those progressive people when N.C. passed that law limiting gay rights? Even if every single progressive person showed up in the polls, the bill still would have passed because the idiots outnumber you 10 to 1.

[Bearsfan8143 2]

Thank you Matt! I was really hoping that someone on Earwolf would take that terrible show down a peg. Please keep up, and I'm sure that "Yo, is this racist" will have plenty of shitty moments to base scenes on.

[wakefresh 689]

Besser, don't get mad because the guest called out Arkansas for being racist. It's not like the state is a beacon of light in the racial history or present of the United States. Also, your fellow Arkansasite(?? Arkansasions??) elected this man.

[wakefresh 689]

And once again, thank you white men for telling us what is and isn't racist. If it wasn't for you, us minorities wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.

[wakefresh 689]

No, Besser, the show isn't "Yo, is this a sweeping generalizations?", it is "Yo, is this racist?" Racism is about the many ways the majority oppresses minority groups, not about (true) generalizations about your hometowns.

[reggaechristmas 64]

I see a phone call coming.

[mattbesser 605]

"Yo" is racist.

 

 

 

Yo welcome.

[MattCameron 595]

 

 

As a life long resident of the South, I have to take issue with this. The South gets generalized as being racist because the South overwhelmingly is very racist. That's great that towns like Cary exist but they do not cancel out all of the Kernersvilles, Walkertowns, and other itty bitty backwater towns that are downright racist and homophobic. Where were all of those progressive people when N.C. passed that law limiting gay rights? Even if every single progressive person showed up in the polls, the bill still would have passed because the idiots outnumber you 10 to 1.

 

There's no question that there are racist people in NC. And there are towns like Shelby and Kernersville. But, there are towns in Northern California or upstate NY that are just as racist as those towns.

 

The fallacy in your argument about the passed anti-gay bill is that gay people are not a race of people. I understand that I said that I know a lot of progressive people in NC, but what I never said was that those people outnumber the conservative Christian element, which does not equate to everyone being racist. Moreover, I can guarantee you that a large portion of the southern Christian African American and Hispanic population oppose gay marriage as vehemently as some of the white Christian population.

 

Hopefully, as time goes by and people become more educated and less ignorant to the issues, a state like NC will have legalized gay marriage. But to claim that the overall population of NC is racist is just absurd.

[MattCameron 595]

Sorry - double posted.

[Syme 548]

I'm not a regular listen to Yo Is This Racist, though I've enjoyed some episodes. But there have been times where I've winced at some of the commentary, and questioned how well informed any of the people are to be talking about racism. You'd think getting some more experts and people who've done studies would be a better idea than just writers and comedians. So this was a great take-down of the show.

[AndyPacheco-Fores 437]

WWAAAAAAAAHHHHHH MEAN OL ANDWEW TI MADE FUN OF OW HOMETOWN CALLED US WACIST WWWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH BUHBUHBUHBUH BLOOOHOOOOO!!!

 

As everyone knows, people who point out racism are the real racists. Smelt it dealt it yall!

 

Scenes were funny tho, still love the show.

[Picklefucker 188]

No, Besser, the show isn't "Yo, is this a sweeping generalizations?", it is "Yo, is this racist?" Racism is about the many ways the majority oppresses minority groups, not about (true) generalizations about your hometowns.

Racism is a series of sweeping generalizations that shit on large groups of people who don't deserve it. So saying these sweeping generalizations is just fine is problematic because you're condoning the problem that forms the roots of racism. Making assumptions based on locations is just as irrationally intolerant as racism.

Also, your fellow Arkansasite(?? Arkansasions??) elected this man.

Yeah, that argument wasn't valid when you posted it in the "Yo, Is This Racist?" forum, and it isn't valid now. America made George W. Bush one of the most powerful men in the world (twice!), and most people seem to think he's a bit of a dick. By your logic, it would be completely acceptable to say that all Americans agreed with Bush.

[DressedLikeACow 18]

Generalizing about an area is not the same as institutionalized racism. Generalization is not nearly as detrimental to the residents of the midwest, or south, or whatever as racism is to the genuinely oppressed. On that level it's not really a comparison. It is weak, however, to absolve the producers of racist content because you're friends with them, and then blame racist media on its audience rather than on its producers. I think Andrew Ti wouldn't let anyone get away with that on the blog, but he does on the podcast for whatever reason.

[wakefresh 689]

There's no question that there are racist people in NC. And there are towns like Shelby and Kernersville. But, there are towns in Northern California or upstate NY that are just as racist as those towns.

 

The fallacy in your argument about the passed anti-gay bill is that gay people are not a race of people. I understand that I said that I know a lot of progressive people in NC, but what I never said was that those people outnumber the conservative Christian element, which does not equate to everyone being racist. Moreover, I can guarantee you that a large portion of the southern Christian African American and Hispanic population oppose gay marriage as vehemently as some of the white Christian population.

 

Hopefully, as time goes by and people become more educated and less ignorant to the issues, a state like NC will have legalized gay marriage. But to claim that the overall population of NC is racist is just absurd.

 

If you readily admit that the close-minded racists and homophobes outnumber the progressives in the state, then why are you upset when someone calls the state racist? They are having Moral Monday protests right now in Raleigh for a reason. if you are working against racism and sexism then you recognize that the state government is a roadblock, a roadblock setup by your fellow citizens who think blacks and wimmen should know their place and fags don't need to be gettin' married.

[wakefresh 689]

Racism is a series of sweeping generalizations that shit on large groups of people who don't deserve it. So saying these sweeping generalizations is just fine is problematic because you're condoning the problem that forms the roots of racism. Making assumptions based on locations is just as irrationally intolerant as racism.

 

Yeah, that argument wasn't valid when you posted it in the "Yo, Is This Racist?" forum, and it isn't valid now. America made George W. Bush one of the most powerful men in the world (twice!), and most people seem to think he's a bit of a dick. By your logic, it would be completely acceptable to say that all Americans agreed with Bush.

 

Nope, you don't know what you're talking about. Racism is not about generalizations. If it was then Auburn fans saying Alabama fans are hicks would be racism. It is not. If we went by your definition then the home team fans sitting on one side of the football field and the away teams fans sitting on another would be apartheid.

 

And yes, when the majority of people in a country vote two times for someone that means that generally approve. And no, the majority of Americans don't hate George Bush. In fact about half of them still support his ideas and philosophies. In fact, even though N.C. went for Obama in the 2008 election, they still have a Republican state assembly made up of people who think Dubya was an ok guy. I don't know where you get this idea where if you have a public election and the majority of people elect an asshole, that it doesn't say something about the people in that state, district, or nation.

[Paintsville 64]

I took bigger issue with the guest on the "Yo" podcast acting as if people in New York and Los Angeles really occupy a high ground when it comes to racism. I thought she was maybe playing a caricature of a snobby New Yorker who looks down on middle america's racism while being completely racist herself, but as the podcast progressed I came to realize that she was serious.

 

This isn't one of those "your area of the country is racist too, so that makes my area's racism ok!" posts, I'm just saying it grinds my gears when someone from LA, San Francisco, or New York get up on their high horse about other areas of the country being racist. Just because you have a better food scene doesn't mean you have a better racism scene.

[wakefresh 689]

"Yo" is racist.

 

 

 

Yo welcome.

 

[Obenour 1]

Yo, is "Yo is This Racist" coastist? Absolutely.

 

Yet another reason to be a lifelong UCB fan. Thanks for the bonus episode guys.